


Oversight

by ChokolatteJedi



Series: x6325 [3]
Category: Chuck (TV), White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Life or Death Situations, Consequences, Episode Tag, Episode: s01e08 Hard Sell, Episode: s01e10 Vital Signs, Gen, Neal Caffrey & Bryce Larkin Are Twins, Neal's Way With Words, Phone Calls & Telephones, Plothole Fill, Protective Bryce, Scolding, Time Skips, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-18
Updated: 2010-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28901361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: Peter continues to get  phone calls from his mysterious boss
Series: x6325 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119584
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Oversight

"Care to explain to me how _two_ men were sent in to a situation with only _one_ piece of protective breathing equipment? Better yet, explain to me how even _one_ man was sent in without a backup in case of malfunction or delay — especially when you already knew that your team's response time was unacceptably close to the duration of the PPE?"

The man at extension x6325, who Peter had mentally dubbed an Ultra-Boss — likely at least his boss's boss's boss — sounded utterly scathing. And, frankly, Peter couldn't blame him. His initial question laid out every single flaw in their thinking; the minute Peter had joined the operation they should have reevaluated their equipment needs.

The only mitigating information Peter could offer wasn't much, but he offered it anyway. "I unreservedly accept the blame for part of the situation, Sir," he began. "But I did initially attempt to get Neal a second breathing device, when Jones told me that his response time was five minutes. Tech refused, with the excuse that Neal might take the duplicate and replicate it or fence it or something else ridiculous."

He could have claimed that that was why he didn't ask for a second one for himself, fearing that Tech would accuse him of conning them. But the truth was that Peter just hadn't thought of it, so he remained silent, accepting that part of the responsibility.

"Then that shall be my next call," said the Ultra-Boss, before hanging up.

oOo

As soon as Peter finished submitting his reports, he began fidgeting with his stress ball, hands beneath the desk where no one outside of his office could see what he was doing. There was no chance in hell of him avoiding a call from the Ultra-Boss on this one, and Peter had been dreading it even while writing the reports.

After the first few cases, Peter had come to realize that the Ultra-Boss wasn't looking to send Neal back to prison, or to break up their partnership. He seemed, almost unbelievably, to be _supporting_ them. After the incident with Avery and subsequent call, Peter had received an emailed apology from Tech, with their promise not to short him on equipment for Caffrey in the future.

Peter had had Cruz do a bit of digging under the guise of gossip, and discovered that the head of Tech — Barry Johnson — had been on the phone for over half an hour that day, and had left his office trembling. He had immediately pushed out a dictate that all teams were to have a reasonable amount of backup equipment, and that each team was to have enough for all involved parties, including undercover agents and CIs.

Looking back at it later, Peter realized the reason for the "all involved parties" rule. It wasn't just that Peter had needed a breather — what if something had gone wrong, and Jones had needed to enter the equation? What if he had raced into the room with Avery on his heels the way Peter had? Neal and Jones would have been the ones in the vault, with Neal still probably offering his PPE to the agent and collapsing.

The thought sent chills through Peter. No, much better to have the extra equipment and not need it than risk any kind of accident.

It was also clear from that incident — and the condition of Johnson told Peter this — that the Ultra-Boss could be far harsher on him than he had been. Peter might have been unsettled, might have had to think fast and change his plans, but he hadn't been yelled at for half an hour, to the point of shaking. And if him second-guessing himself kept his team — including Neal — safer, that wasn't a bad thing in Peter's mind. His Ultra-Boss's attention and style of oversight could only make Peter sharper.

That said, there was no way Peter wasn't getting an earful for what had happened at the Hauser Clinic. It didn't matter that he told Neal not to go — that was Neal's nature, and Peter should have anticipated it. Of course, Peter had left a few things out of his report — Neal's trip off the reservation and his own theft of the security tapes — but Peter still anticipated trouble.

Peter's thoughts were interrupted by a quiet click, and he realized that the connecting door between his office and the conference room had just been locked. Glancing over, Peter saw Neal walking over to the window and looking out at the city. His shoulders were hunched, and he was on his cell phone. Occasionally, he winced, and Peter found the mystery of it distracting from his own worry and anticipation.

When the call finally ended, Neal flipped his phone closed and slumped into the nearest chair. Peter was debating going in and talking to him when his own office phone rang. Distracted, Peter forgot to check the caller ID and just picked up. "Peter—"

"Burke, good job on this one," the Ultra-Boss said, utterly stunning him.

"Uh, thank you, Sir," he managed to say.

"Now, I know this isn't your field, but exigent circumstances being what they are, I want you to go visit Hampstead in Violent Crimes."

"Hampstead, Sir? Not Donaldson?" Donaldson was Peter's usual contact when the two departments overlapped; he was less familiar with Mike Hampstead.

"Hampstead," The Ultra-Boss confirmed. "The situation at the Hauser doesn't sit right with me. Show Hampstead the bruising on Caffrey's arm: no trained nurse should have been that careless with a needle, nor sedated a patient without having a medical history to check for allergies and interactions. We know Powell was running the organ donation scam, and skimming funds for his own transplant, but my gut tells me he was running another scam at that clinic — one that would have orderlies and nurses willing to make such problematic decisions."

"I understand, Sir: I'll do that today."

"Good." The Ultra-Boss hung up, and Peter let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't mentioned all the details of the Hauser, but it was clear that somehow his Ultra-Boss knew about them. And yet, shockingly, Peter hadn't gotten the reaming he'd expected. He'd been congratulated for a good job — for protecting Neal, maybe? — and then told to open a new line of investigation from it.

Now that it had been pointed out to him, Peter also found the actions of the nurse and orderlies suspicious, and agreed that it bore further investigation. Peter had practically been ordered to reveal at least some of the details of what had happened to Neal, and he suspected the legal grey area surrounding it was behind the instructions to speak with Hampstead instead of Donaldson.

Peter was just slightly shocked that he hadn't gotten the reaming he expected today. It was almost… almost like Neal had gotten it instead. But Neal couldn't know the Ultra-Boss, could he? Peter had a momentary flash, imagining Neal's mysterious past being tied to a father in the Bureau. Maybe an uncle? Someone who would keep an eye on their partnership for both Neal and Peter's sake, but who wasn't afraid to ream either of them?

Shaking his head, Peter cleared away the image. If Neal was connected to the FBI, that would have surely come up during the search for him, and his trial, and Peter's application to take him on as a CI… No, there had to be another explanation.

Scooping up the key from his desk, Peter walked over and unlocked the conference room door. Neal looked up at him questioningly, but he didn't look particularly devastated or upset.

"Locks?" Peter asked, nodding at the door.

"Oh, right," Neal jumped up and unlocked the main door to the conference room.

"So what was that about?" Peter pressed.

Neal sighed. "I might have told Mozzie about what happened at the clinic," he admitted.

"And he called to yell at you?" Peter asked skeptically. That did not seem the Mozzie way.

"Not exactly, though he does have a big mouth," Neal grimaced. "June is in Philadelphia for the weekend."

"Ah, hence having to call you instead of talking in person." That made more sense to Peter. Her and Neal's relationship was a bit of a mystery, but there was definitely a familial-like caring there. And if anyone could cow Neal and keep him from making unsafe choices, it was possibly June.

"Apparently I make people worry," Neal said with a small frown.

"That you do," Peter agreed. "Now come on, I'm commandeering your lunch break."

"Oh?" Neal asked.

"We've got a consult down on eighteen," Peter explained without explaining.

"Violent Crimes?" Neal questioned. "What do they want with us?"

Of course Neal had memorized the building layout. "You'll see," was all Peter offered.

"I think I've had my fill of violence for the week," Neal muttered as they made their way out through the office.

"Thank God for that," Peter shot back. Maybe this mess would make Neal think twice before pulling such a stunt again. Peter could only hope.

**Author's Note:**

> No, June didn't ream Neal out - it was indeed Bryce. Neal's misdirecting (but not lying to) Peter.


End file.
